Mel Nowell

Mel Nowell

No. 20, 27
Guard
Personal information
Date of birth	December 27, 1939 (1939-12-27) (age 71)
Place of birth	Columbus, Ohio
Nationality	American
High school	East (Columbus, Ohio)
Listed height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight	170 lb (77 kg)
Career information
College	Ohio State
NBA Draft	1962 / Round: 12 / Pick: 90th overall
Selected by the Chicago Zephyrs
Pro career	1962–1968
Career history
1962–1963	Chicago Zephyrs
1963–1964	Wilkes-Barre Barons (EPBL)
1967–1968	New Jersey Americans (ABA)
Career highlights and awards
NCAA Champion (1960)
Career NBA and ABA statistics
Points	963 (8.4 ppg)
Rebounds	260 (2.3 rpg)
Assists	239 (2.1 apg)
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Mel Nowell (born in 1940 Columbus, Ohio), was an American basketball player.

Nowell played for The Ohio State University Buckeyes basketball team that won the 1960 NCAA championship. He played with three Hall of Famers and Hall of Fame Coach Fred Taylor. He later played in the NBA for the Chicago Zephyrs and in the American Basketball Association.

A 6'1 guard, Nowell was a high school star at Columbus East 1957-1958. His outside shooting and one-on-one skills were enough to rate him the #2 player in Ohio after Jerry Lucas. Fielding numerous scholarship offers, Nowell decided to follow Lucas to Ohio State in a historic recruiting class that later also included John Havlicek and Bobby Knight. Starting with fellow sophomores Lucas and Havlicek, Nowell's shooting was a key element in Ohio State's run to the 1960 NCAA title. He was named to the 1960 All-Tournament Team.

Ohio State's 1960-61 team went undefeated until the NCAA Final. Ohio State's 1961-62 also reached the NCAA Final.

Nowell did participate in the 1960 US Olympic Trials but was never seriously considered for a spot on the team. Only three blacks were named to that team, and more attention was paid to Nowell's white Ohio State teammates, a factor he considered in his remaining basketball career.

Nowell's shooting ability was such that he could have been a big scorer at another school, a fact that could have led to a bigger pro career. Instead, he played with or for four future Hall of Famers, went to three straight NCAA Finals, winning one in 1960. All three years, the Ohio State Buckeyes were undefeated at home at St. John Arena.

External links

• NBA and ABA statistics

Persondata
Name	Nowell, Mel
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1939-12-27
Place of birth	Columbus, Ohio
Date of death
Place of death